Anatomy: The iliotibial band (ITB) or iliotibial tract is a band of connective tissue that runs from the top of the pelvic bone down the side of the hip and thigh and to the side of the knee. The muscles of the hip, buttock and thigh have fibres attaching into the ITB and tightness in…

A RHP Physiotherapy Swimming Screening checks flexibility in all of the key areas for a fluid stroke and compares them to known desirable ranges. The screening can highlight which areas could be affecting technique or causing your injury problems. Screenings can be done on an individual basis in the clinic or for groups at your…

It allows more of the power produced by your kick to push you forward through the water. Good body position in the water leading to a better “streamline” position and a more efficient stroke due to less drag. A more stable attachment point for the powerful shoulder muscles to work from. This means that they…

vertebrae.jpgnucleus.jpg Injury to a disc can be quite painful and limit your ability to do everyday activities. Discs are most vulnerable when your spine is flexed and rotated, that is, when you bend forward and twist. When you sit your spine will also be in a flexed position so it is important to remember that…

• Decreased exercise levels during the off-season lead to: • A deterioration in the load tolerance of our tendons • Reductions in muscle strength, endurance, and power. • Reduced balance and co-ordination via a dampening down of the brain to muscle nerve pathways. • Reduced aerobic fitness • Loss of flexibility Points to Consider with…

As a consequence, excessive carbohydrate intake often leads to excessive cortisol secretion.  There are several causes of adrenal overload or fatigue, but if the gland has to continually produce excess cortisol due to carbohydrate overload, this will contribute. Because DHEA and cortisol act to balance each other, and because there is a finite amount of…

Function: The rotator cuff muscles originate from the various surfaces on the shoulder blade (scapula) and attach to the top of the arm bone, wrapping around what is called the head of humerus. Co-ordinated contraction of the rotator cuff muscles keeps the head of the humerus centred in the socket during arm movement. Without this…

Animal studies indicate that pregnenolone is found in the brain in ten-fold larger concentrations than the other stress-related hormones (including DHEA). Pregnenolone is the precursor from which almost all of the other steroid hormones are made; including DHEA, progesterone, testosterone, the estrogens, and cortisol. Despite its powerful metabolites, pregnenolone is acknowledged to be without significant…

Following my previous article on Chronic Pain, I wanted to add a little more to the discussion. As mentioned previously, chronic pain deals with many adaptions, layers and body systems, all combining to produce a complex network of issues.  Because this network is complex, it is necessary to set reasonable expectations when dealing with the…